Slice receiving tray



May 14, 1946. I QR, 'woop 2,400,279

SLICE RECEIVING TRAY Filed April 12, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORGE R. WOOD G. R. WOOD SLICE RECEIVING TRAY May 14, 1946.

Filed April 12 1943 I 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 FIG.

[N VEN TOR. GEORGE R. WOOD Patented May 14, 194

'' UNI ED-c I a corporation of New Jersey. i j v w 1 Applicaticn April lz,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to 'foodhandling appa-' ratus of the typefinwhich a commodity'to be sliced is reciprocated pastthe edge of arotary circular knife bladeiand slices are severed from the commodity on each'forward stroke, and more particularly to means for mounting a slice-'- r'ceiving tray on such a device. w

In slicing-machines of the class described, after each slice of commodity has been severed by the knife, it is usually deflected by a so-icalled defiector plate onto a slice-receiving portion of the machine, In many such machines the slice receiver is constructed integrally with the base of the machine. This form of construction has several disadvantages, among the'm fthe' additional weight of themachine which results from using a heavy enough slic'e receiving section of the machine to serve asa portion 'ofztlie' rame;

and the difilculty of cleaning a slice-receiving portion of the machine'which is not removable. Slicing machines, because of the greasy natureof the meat and other commodities which are sliced thereon, are apt to accumulate grease and dirt in all cracks, nooks and crannies. from which it periodically must be carefully removed. It is hardly sufficient merely to wipe the commodity contacting parts of the machine, since wiping does' not of course removeall the grease, the remaining portion of which. may'bec'ome rancid. andunsanit'ary. v

It is an object of this invention to provide a slice-receiving tray, and means for mounting such a tray on a slicing machine which permits the tray to be quickly and easily removed from the machine. 7 I 1 j c It is another object ,of this invention to provide a slice-receiving tray which can be removed bodily from the slicing machine for immersion in boiling water or other .cleansingand sanitizing liquid. I

It is a further object of this invention to pr vide a slice-receiving tray for mounting on a slicing machine: which conforms tothe contour of the remaining portions of the machine andwhich permits the main frame of the machine toQbe cut away and thus reduced in weight. YT

More specific objectsand advantages are apparent from the description, in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of device embodying the invention.

Inthe drawings: v

Fig. I is a view in perspective, from theleft front corner of a slicing machine, incorporating a slice-receiving tray embodying the invention.-' Fig. II is a plan view of a slice-receiving tray embodying the invention, certain parts being broken away.

Fig. 111 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view,

194 Serial N4). 482,761 7 (01. 146-102) taken s 'ubstantially on the line III-fIII or, Fig.

Fig. IV "is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially on the line IV'- IV of Fi f r c Fig. V is an enlarged detailed sectional view, taken substantially on' the line V--V of Fig'II. Fig. VI is a view similar'to Fig. I but of a difierent type of slicingmachine embodying a modification of the invention.

Fig. VII is a'plan view of a slice-receiving tray embodying amodification of the invention.

' Fig. VIII is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line VIIIVI1I of Fig. VII. v

Thesesp'ecific drawings and the specific description that follows merely disclose and illustrate the invention and-are not intended to impose limitations upon the claims. r

A slicingmachine of the type shown in Fig. I comprisesabase l on which is erected a motor housing ll and means for'rotatably' mounting a circular knife I2. A gauge plate I3 is mounted on the base It! with its face in a plane parallel to the'plane of the knife I hand can headjusted bymeans of a knob I4 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of its face. A com modity tray-l is provided forcarrying commodities past" the edge of the knife 12 which, according to the setting of the gauge plate 13, sever s aslice'of the' desired thickness from the commodity during each stroke.

- by a deflector plate I6, located behihdt-he knife I2, onto a slice-receiving tray which is'located below the deflectorplatelt.

The slice-receiving tray l1 consists of a singlecasting, preferably made of a light material such as aluminum. The slice-receiving tray has a turned-over formed side l8 and a similar front l9 which continue the vertical planes of the left side and front of the base In, the joining edges of the slice-receiving tray and baselfl being flush and having a continuous contour. 'The slicereceiving tray IT has a rear edge 29 which blends into thelower edge of thedeflector plate 16 mounted above it; these adjoining edges having a continuous sweeping contour to prevent the ac oum'ul'ation'of grease and dirt in the crack" between the plate and the tray; A right edge'il ofthe slice-receiving tray l1 sweeps up and over the edgeof a rectilinear section of the base ill, and has an overhanging lip 22 which covers the crack between the adjacent portions of the base I 0 and the slice-receiving tray ll, to prevent the entrance of grease and particles of commoditlv' into such crack. Two holes 23 are drilled horiz'ontally through the swept-up right side 2| of the slice-receiving tray to accommodate a pair of rods 24 on which the gauge plate I3 is mounted.

V a I Slices of com modity-so severed by the knife !2 are deflected stantial and heavy material in order to form part of the main structure of the slicing machine, and since they are cut angularly across the space occupied by the slice-receiving tray in-' stead of extending along the two outside edges of the slice-receiving tray, their weight is substantially reduced.

The slice-receiving tray i removably mounted on the base ID by two pins 21, each of which is riveted in a downwardly extending ear 28 of a substantially O shaped clamp 29 bolted to the frame members 25 and 26, near the rear of the right triangle formed thereby. The pins 21 enga e in two countersunk holes 30 drilled horizontally through a pair of tabs 3|, which are cast integrally with the slice-receiving tray l7 and extend downwardly from the undersurface of the tray. The slice-receiving tray is held in place by the engagement of the head of a bolt 32, which extends vertically through the frame In near the point of junction of the two members 25 and 26 in the forward part of the frame, with a counterbore 33 in a bos 34 formed on the underside of the slice-receiving tray II. The bolt 32 passes through an oversize hole 35 in the frame member 25 and through two washers 36, located one above and one below such hole, and thusits position can be varied to cause it properly to engage When the bolt 32 is in the the counterbore 33. proper position, a nut 31, threaded on the bolt, can be tightened to compress the washers 36 and hold the bolt in place.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, since the gauge plate 13 is mounted upon rods 24 which extend through the holes 23 in the slicereceiving tray, the gauge plate l3 must be removed before the slice-receiving tray can be removed. Assuming either that the gauge plate has been so removed, or that a gauge plate of a different type which does not interfere with the removal of the slice-receiving tray is employed in the slicing machine, the tray is removed by lifting its forward edge, thus disengaging the head of the bolt 32 from the counterbore 33, and then pulling the slice-receiving tray forward to slide the tabs 3| off the pins 21. A reversal of these operations is employed to replace the slice-receiving tray.

Th embodiment of the invention-illustrated in Figs. VII and VIII is shown in FigpVI as employed in a slicing machine of the gravity feed type, which comprises a base Hla, motor housing H a, circular knife l2a, which in this case is inclined to the vertical, gauge plate l3a, similarly inclined, gauge plate adjusting knob Maand inclined commodity tray l5a. Commoditie placed on the tray I511 slide downwardly thereon by gravity and, as the tray l5a is reciprocated past the edge of the knife l2a, slices severed from the commodity are deflected by a deflector plate 16a onto a slice-receiving tray Fla.

The slice-receiving tray Ila is constructed substantially identically with the slice-receiving tray illustrated in Fig. I with the exception that, since the gauge plate l3a is mounted on the base Illa in a different manner, no provision need be made for the passage of supporting rods through a section of the slice-receiving tray.

The slice-receiving tray l'la is removably mounted on the base ID by means of a pair of formed spring clips 38a, which are welded to the undersurface of the tray l'la vand which engage with an inverted U shaped frame member 26a forming a part of the base Ilia. The clips 38a pass through two apertures 39a which are formed in the left side of the channel member 2611. The slice-receiving tray I la is held down on the channel member 26a and upon a second channel member 2511 by a pair of cone-shaped knurled nuts 40a, which are threaded on two studs Ma extending horizontally from the side of the channel member 25a, in which they are secured by two vertical set screws 42a. The studs 4la extend through oversize holes in a pair of angle brackets 43a,welded to the undersurface of the slice-receiving tray l'la, the cone-shaped ends of the nuts 49a being engaged in the holes in the. brackets 43a.

To. remove the slice-receiving tray Ila, the knurled nuts 48a are unscrewed from the threaded studs Ma, and the slice-receiving tray is moved bodily to the left (Figs. VII and VIII) to disengage the brackets 43a from the ends of the studs,

1 and to disengage the clips 38a from beneath the channel member 26a.

A slice-receiving tray embodying the invention thus can be removed for thorough cleansing, and can be replaced quickly and simply-on the machine for further use.

, The embodiments, of the invention that have been disclosed may be modified to meet various requirements.

Having described the invention, I claim:

1. In a slicing machine, in combination, a base, a slice receiver mountedon said base and externally blendinginto thecontour of said base, that portion of-said base extending beneath said slice receiver being cut away and skeletonized to reduce weight, said slice receiver being readily removable from said base, and means for mounting. said slice receiver comprising a pair of apertured members mounted on the undersurface of said slice receiver and engageable with horizontal U studs mounted in a member adjustably attached 'to a portion of said base extending beneath said slice receiver.

2. In a slicing machine, in combination, a base, a slice receiver mounted on said base and externally blending into the contour of said base, and means for mounting said slice receiver comprising a member adjustably attached to said base and including a plurality of horizontal pins, apertured lugs depending from said slice receiver and engageable with said pins, and a vertical pin mounted for horizontal adjustment and engageable in a recess of a boss depending from said slice receiver to maintain the engagement of said apertured lugs on said horizontal ins.

3. In a. device of the class described, in combination, a base, aslice receiver mounted on said base and externally blending into the contour of said base, said slice receiver being readily removable from said base, and means for securing said slice receiver in place on said base, said means comprising spring clips attached to the under side of the slice receiver and adapted. to grip a rib of the base between the slice receiver and the clips, and other members depending from said slice receiver adapted to engage and be secured by clamping means threaded onto studs projecting horizontally from another rib of said base.

GEORGE R. WOOD. 

